Australia: Return to school deaths rise

Australia recorded another increase in deaths due to it COVID-19 today as the highly contagious Omicron variant peaked and authorities warned that the numbers could rise further next week when children return to school from holiday at the end of the year.

The 13th largest economy in the world is trying to find the balance between 'opening up' after two years of travel restrictions and managing the highest pandemic deaths and cases.

Authorities say the release of the booster vaccine will reduce deaths and point to a stabilization in hospital numbers as an indication that the outbreak has reached its worst point.

The country today reported 58 deaths, most of them in the three most populous states - New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland - at the same level as the previous day but still among the highest in the pandemic.

The total number of new cases - 40.681 - was well below the high levels, almost three times this number earlier this month.

"Our assessment suggests that the spread of the virus that causes COVID is slowing down, our situation is stabilizing and while we expect to see an increase in back-to-school transmissions, this may be mitigated by your actions as citizens." said in a press conference the head of New South Wales Health Services Kerry Chad. "Doing these boosts will help us," he added.

More than nine in 10 Australians aged 12 and over have had two doses of the vaccine Covid-19 - a statistic that according to health experts has kept the death rate relatively low - but many fewer have taken a third dose that is considered a 'shield' against Omicron.

Although all Australian states are resisting the return of a lockdown, most have reinstated measures of social distancing and mandatory mask use to slow down transmission. But they are divided over whether and how to manage their return to school after long periods of distance learning.

Students in New South Wales and Victoria will need to wear masks and take regular rapid tests when they return to life classes next week. The state of Queensland, however, postponed the return to schools until February 7 to prevent an increase in transmission.

"The peak does not mean the end," said Queensland Health Chief John Gerrard, warning of a "possible peak peak" when students return to school.

Source: RES-EAP